As a homeschool family and fans of military history, being able to visit historical places that we have only read about is something we really enjoy. For our daughter Payton, we were able to truly bring history to life with the WWII trip we did with Stephen Ambrose Tours. Her enthusiasm for learning was obvious at every location we visited. For anyone wanting to learn more about the World War II Sites in Belgium, while taking in the beautiful countryside, this is a trip you definitely want to take!
Belgium by Tour or Hire Car?
It’s easy to drive in Belgium – the roads are good and hiring a car out of Brussels airport is a flexible option. You could hire out of Paris too, and visit the WWII sites of Normandy before exploring Belgium also.
We chose to take a Stephen Ambrose historical tour, because we wanted to experience a historian-led tour. When there is so much information to digest, it’s easier to have someone to help explain and enrich things!
If you want flexibility and time to do other activities outside of the history side of things, then hiring a car is a good idea. For those who want the added learning of a tour, we loved the Stephen Ambrose tour – it was intensive, well organised and fascinating.
Bastogne
Bastogne is a small town in southeastern Belgium, located in the Walloon region near the border with Luxembourg. It’s best known for its role in World War II during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 (one of the largest and bloodiest battles fought by the U.S. Army). Surrounded by German forces, the town became famous for the determined stand of American troops – especially the 101st Airborne Division.
Bastogne War Museum
Prior to departing for our trip to Europe, we spent many hours reading about historic battle sites, important places to visit, and museums that would allow us to learn as much as possible during our travels.
The Bastogne War Museum contains vast amounts of war paraphernalia including battle damaged equipment that allows one to see the terrifying effects of the weapons used during the conflict. Varied collections of photographs allow visitors to see real images as well as videos from the Battle of the Bulge which occurred nearby. This museum is a must visit when learning about pivotal battles during the war.
Mardasson Memorial (Bastogne)
The Battle of the Bulge was a last gasp attempt by the Germans during World War II. The battle began as a surprise attack by the Germans which resulted in a “bulge” in the Allied lines where the defenders bent but never broke. The Allies sustained approximately 77,000 casualties during the fighting.
The Mardasson Memorial is a monument honoring the memory of the American soldiers that died and were wounded during the fighting here. The monument is very moving as visitors can see the names of the participating battalions as well as the story of the battle which is inscribed on ten prominently displayed panels.
Bastogne Barracks
Known for being the temporary headquarters of the 101st Airborne Division which was commanded by Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe in December of 1944, the Bastogne Barracks and what occurred there are where legends come from. On December 21st, 1944, General McAuliffe and his division were surrounded by the Germans. When given an ultimatum to surrender or be destroyed, McAuliffe responded with, “to the attention of the German commander. Nuts! The American commander”. General McAuliffe and his men held out for several days while experiencing intense fighting. They were finally liberated on December 26.
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit here. We had learned of General McAuliffe’s bold reply in the face of annihilation many years ago, so it was a very moving experience to actually be where this happened so long ago. All the historical artifacts on display here were interesting to see and we all learned so much more by visiting instead of reading a book.
We highly recommend putting the Bastogne Barracks on your itinerary when touring this area.
Musée de la Bataille des Ardenne, La Roche-en-Ardenne
The La Roche Museum of the Battle of the Ardennes is a unique museum due to the fact that there are displays representing American, British, Scottish, and German soldiers. You will find actual uniforms on mannequins that were donated by veterans of the Battle of the Bulge. Weapons and equipment are on display along with many photographs depicting the events and battles that took place nearby. Objects found on the battlefield can also be viewed.
Seeing these artifacts and knowing they were actually used in battle makes the experience even more unique. One of the more interesting objects on display is the famous Enigma decoding machine. This machine was used to break codes during the war, and it is theorized to have saved thousands of lives.
December 44 Museum, La Gleize
The December 44 Museum is another must visit location for the history buff. Visitors have the opportunity to see a wonderful collection of war artifacts and displays that tell the story of the Battle of the Ardennes. One of the most interesting pieces on display at this museum is the extremely large King Tiger tank. The story behind how it found its home here is very interesting to say the least!
Ardennes American Cemetery, Neuville-en-Condroz
Of all the cemeteries we visited on our tour, this one was one of the most moving. The grounds are impeccable and do a wonderful job of honoring the sacrifice of the soldiers who died in various battles within the region.
One of the more memorable things we learned, and also one of the more emotional, were the 11 instances of graves where brothers are buried side by side. There are also 3 Medal of Honor recipients buried here.
Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery
This cemetery is very large at 57 acres. It contains the graves of 7,992 American war dead which resulted from the Battle of the Bulge and the Battle of Hurtgen Forest. Walking the grounds and seeing the seemingly endless lines of crosses really makes one understand the tremendous sacrifice that was made to end the world of tyranny.
The grounds are very beautiful and well maintained here as all of the cemeteries we visited were.
Further Afield
Fort Breendonk
Fort Breendonk is a unique place to visit due to the fact that it was used during both world wars. Due to its construction, it was not an as effective fortification during World War II due to the advancements in weapons and artillery.
It was mainly used as a concentration camp for political prisoners. During this period, Breendonk became the location of a very dark chapter in history due to the torturing and executions that were carried out here.
The Atlantic Wall (Raversyde) – Open Air Museum
The Atlantic Wall Rayversyde is out on the Belgian coastline, and is another interesting stop for any history buff. It contains over 60 bunkers and represents one of the most hardened sections of the German defensive line in the area.
There is a coastal battery site that was in place during the First World War. The entire dune section is pock marked with defensive fighting positions.
Waterloo Memorial 1815
Although our trip focused mainly on the events of World War II, we were still interested in this memorial due to our fascination with another prominent military leader, Napolean Bonaparte.
This memorial depicts the events of the Waterloo battle in which he was defeated in 1815 resulting in 40,000 casualties. The Lions Mound and the Panorama of the Battle of Waterloo are bonus features for visitors exploring the grounds here.
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